Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a semiconductor component, in particular an EEPROM memory cell, having first and second doped zones of a first conduction type disposed in a semiconductor substrate of a second conduction type, and a channel zone in the semiconductor substrate between the two doped zones. The invention also relates to a method for producing a semiconductor component.
EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memories) cells play an ever more important role among types of memory. In the case of chip card applications, for instance, memory blocks of the FLOTOX (Floating Gate Tunnel Oxide) cell type are used, which are integrated into a microcontroller environment (embedded memories). There is a demand for ever smaller cells. A limiting factor is the shrinkability of a tunnel window with an associated electrical connection zone (buried channel). That limit is determined primarily by the properties of the device, as is described below and in German Published, Non-Prosecuted Patent Application DE 196 14 010 A1, owned by the assignee of the instant application.
The disadvantages of such prior art components and methods are that they require a great deal of space and do not have high electrical reliability, as is described in more detail below in the description of FIGS. 1-4.